48 Elizabeth II, A.D. 1999, Canada

Journals of the Senate

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Issue 126

Tuesday, April 13, 1999
2:00 p.m.

The Honourable Gildas L. Molgat, Speaker

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The Members convened were:

The Honourable Senators

Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Atkins, Austin, Bacon, Beaudoin, Berntson, Bolduc, Bryden, Buchanan, Butts, Callbeck, Carney, Carstairs, Chalifoux, Cochrane, Cohen, Comeau, Cook, Corbin, DeWare, Doody, Eyton, Fairbairn, Ferretti Barth, Fitzpatrick, Forrestall, Gauthier, Gill, Grafstein, Graham, Grimard, Gustafson, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Johnson, Johnstone, Joyal, Kelleher, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, Kolber, Kroft, Lavoie-Roux, Lawson, Lewis, Losier-Cool, Lynch-Staunton, Maheu, Mahovlich, Meighen, Mercier, Milne, Molgat, Moore, Murray, Nolin, Oliver, Pearson, Perrault, Pitfield, Poulin (Charette), Prud'homme, Rivest, Roberge, Robertson, Robichaud , (L'Acadie-Acadia), Robichaud , (Saint-Louis-de-Kent), Roche, Rompkey, Ruck, St. Germain, Simard, Sparrow, Spivak, Stewart, Stollery, Taylor, Tkachuk, Watt, Whelan

The Members in attendance to business were:

The Honourable Senators

Adams, Andreychuk, Angus, Atkins, Austin, Bacon, Beaudoin, Berntson, Bolduc, Bryden, Buchanan, Butts, Callbeck, Carney, Carstairs, Chalifoux, Cochrane, Cohen, Comeau, Cook, *Cools, Corbin, *De Bané, DeWare, Doody, Eyton, Fairbairn, Ferretti Barth, Fitzpatrick, Forrestall, *Fraser, Gauthier, Gill, Grafstein, Graham, Grimard, Gustafson, Hays, Hervieux-Payette, Johnson, Johnstone, Joyal, Kelleher, Kenny, Keon, Kinsella, Kolber, Kroft, Lavoie-Roux, Lawson, Lewis, Losier-Cool, Lynch-Staunton, Maheu, Mahovlich, Meighen, Mercier, Milne, Molgat, Moore, Murray, Nolin, Oliver, Pearson, Perrault, Pitfield, Poulin (Charette), Prud'homme, Rivest, Roberge, Robertson, Robichaud , (L'Acadie-Acadia), Robichaud , (Saint-Louis-de-Kent), Roche, Rompkey, Ruck, St. Germain, Simard, Sparrow, Spivak, Stewart, Stollery, *Stratton, Taylor, Tkachuk, Watt, Whelan, *Wilson,

PRAYERS

SENATORS' STATEMENTS

The sitting was suspended. The sitting resumed. Tribute was paid to the memory of the Honourable Paul David, former Senator, whose death occurred April 5, 1999. Some Honourable Senators made statements.

DAILY ROUTINE OF BUSINESS

Government Notices of Motions

With leave of the Senate, The Honourable Senator Carstairs moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Austin, P.C.:

That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, April 14, 1999, at 1:30 p.m.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

ANSWERS TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS

Pursuant to Rule 25(2), the Honourable Senator Carstairs tabled the following:

Reply to Question No. 57, dated October 21, 1997, appearing on the Order Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Forrestall, respecting the Land Forces Command budget shortfall.-Sessional Paper No. 1/36-1097S.

Reply to Question No 129, dated June 15, 1998, appearing on the Order Paper in the name of the Honourable Senator Forrestall, respecting Land Forces Command.-Sessional Paper No. 1/36-1098S.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

Bills

Orders No. 1 and 2 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Chalifoux, seconded by the Honourable Senator Maloney, for the second reading of Bill C-49, An Act providing for the ratification and the bringing into effect of the Framework Agreement on First Nation Land Management.

After debate, The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

The Bill was then read the second time.

The Honourable Senator Chalifoux moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Butts, that the Bill be referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Reports of Committees

Consideration of the Tenth Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs (Bill S-22, An Act authorizing the United States to preclear travellers and goods in Canada for entry into the United States for the purposes of customs, immigration, public health, food inspection and plant and animal health, with amendments), presented in the Senate on March 24, 1999.

The Honourable Senator Stewart moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Adams, that the Report be adopted.

After debate, The Honourable Senator Kinsella moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator DeWare, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

OTHER BUSINESS

Senate Public Bills

Second reading of Bill S-27, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (hours of polling at by-elections).

The Honourable Senator Lynch-Staunton moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Grimard, that the Bill be read the second time.

After debate, The Honourable Senator Carstairs moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Callbeck, that further debate on the motion be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. Orders No. 2 to 4 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Reports of Committees

Orders No. 1 to 8 were called and postponed until the next sitting.

Other

Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Roche, seconded by the Honourable Senator Lavoie-Roux:

That the Senate recommend that the Government of Canada urge NATO to begin a review of its nuclear weapons policies at the Summit Meeting of NATO April 23-25, 1999.

After debate, The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. Orders No. 63, 69, 58, 59 and 67 (inquiries) were called and postponed until the next sitting. Resuming debate on the inquiry of the Honourable Senator Lynch-Staunton calling the attention of the Senate to the Budget presented by the Minister of Finance in the House of Commons on February 16, 1999.

After debate, The Honourable Senator Kinsella for the Honourable Senator LeBreton moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator DeWare, that further debate on the inquiry be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted. Orders No. 50 (inquiry), 114 (motion), 34, 39, 47, 65, 64, 49, 44 (inquiries), 1 (motion), 46 (inquiry) and 118 (motion) were called and postponed until the next sitting. Resuming debate on the motion as modified of the Honourable Senator Meighen, seconded by the Honourable Senator Kirby:

That the Senate urges the Government to propose an amendment to the Income Tax Act that would increase to 30%, by increments of 2% per year over a five-year period, the foreign property component of deferred income plans (pension plans, registered retirement savings plans and registered pension plans), as was done in the period between 1990 to 1995 when the foreign property limit of deferred income plans was increased from 10% to 20%, because:

(a) Canadians should be permitted to take advantage of potentially better investment returns in other markets, thereby increasing the value of their financial assets held for retirement, reducing the amount of income supplement that Canadians may need from government sources, and increasing government tax revenues from retirement income;

(b) Canadians should have more flexibility when investing their retirement savings, while reducing the risk of those investments through diversification;

(c) greater access to the world equity market would allow Canadians to participate in both higher growth economies and industry sectors;

(d) the current 20% limit has become artificial since both individuals with significant resources and pension plans with significant resources can by-pass the current limit through the use of, for example, strategic investment decisions and derivative products; and

(e) problems of liquidity for pension fund managers, who now find they must take substantial positions in a single company to meet the 80% Canadian holdings requirement, would be reduced.

After debate, The Honourable Senator Kinsella for the Honourable Senator Eyton moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Gustafson, that further debate on the motion as modified be adjourned until the next sitting.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

REPORTS DEPOSITED WITH THE CLERK OF THE SENATE PURSUANT TO RULE 28(2):

Report of the Export Development Corporation, together with the Auditor General's report, for the year ended December 31, 1998, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 150(1).-Sessional Paper No. 1/36-1092.

Summary of the Corporate Plan for 1999 to 2003 and of the Operating and Capital Budgets for 1999 of Marine Atlantic Inc., and the summary of the Corporate Plans of its subsidiaries for 1999-2003, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 125(4).-Sessional Paper No. 1/36-1093.

Report of the Canadian Wheat Board, together with the Auditor General's report, for the crop year ended July 31, 1998, pursuant to the Canadian Wheat Board Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-24, sbs. 9(2).-Sessional Paper No. 1/36-1094.

Report on the administration of the Public Service Superannuation Act for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998, pursuant to the Public Service Superannuation Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-36, s. 46.-Sessional Paper No. 1/36-1095.

Summary of the Operating Budget for 1997-98 to 2001-02 of the Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-11, sbs. 125(4). -Sessional Paper No. 1/36-1096.

ADJOURNMENT

The Honourable Senator Carstairs moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Graham, P.C.:

That the Senate do now adjourn.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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Changes in Membership of Committees Pursuant to Rule 85(4)

Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples

The name of the Honourable Senator Cochrane substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Berntson (March 24).

Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations

The name of the Honourable Senator Hervieux-Payette substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Lewis (April 1)

Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs

The name of the Honourable Senator Doody removed from the membership (April 6).

Standing Senate Committee on National Finance

The names of the Honourable Senators Eyton, Lavoie-Roux and Bolduc substituted for those of the Honourable Senators Tkachuk, Nolin and Grimard (April 6).

Standing Committee on Privileges, Standing Rules and Orders

The name of the Honourable Senator Atkins added to the membership (April 6).

The name of the Honourable Senator Kinsella substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Robertson (April 9).

Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications

The name of the Honourable Senator Adams substituted for that of the Honourable Senator Rompkey (April 12).

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